


Week of Clichés

by ViimaTheFailcat



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Arranged Marriage, Cock-Block, Injury, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Non-ending, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-21
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-26 00:09:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1667546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViimaTheFailcat/pseuds/ViimaTheFailcat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the Week of Clichés. Prompt was soulmates/soulmark. Ori finds out that Dwalin is his soulmate and fears he's not worthy of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Soul Mark

Ori had wondered the geometric lines on his wrists ever since he was old enough to understand that they were unusual. Dori always said he’d tell him when he was older when he asked.  
But one day, when Dori was working late and Nori was who knows where, a dwarf visited their house. A tall, muscular dwarf, a guard. It was not his size or his uniform that caught Ori’s attention, but the odd lines on his scalp, the same Ori had on his own wrists.  
“Is everything alright, lad?” the guard asked carefully, once he had noticed Ori’s staring.  
“Y-your head…” Ori whispered.  
The guard swiped his hand over his bare scalp. “My soul marks? Had them my whole life.”  
“Soul marks?”  
The guard nodded. “Your parents haven’t told you? My soulmate will carry the same marks somewhere on their body.”  
Ori nodded numbly, mind racing. His soulmate was this huge guard. Should he show him his wrists, the matching lines?  
The guard cleared his throat. “Enough of that. Is Dori home? Nori’s arrested again.”  
Ori’s thoughts ground to a halt. He couldn’t burden someone with such a honourable job with a brother of a common thief. “Dori’s working late,” Ori said quietly, with a sinking feeling in his stomach. “I’ll tell him when he comes home.”  
The guard nodded and gave Ori a comforting pat on the shoulder before leaving. He probably assumed Ori’s shift in mood was because of his brother in jail again.  
Ori stared at the broad back until the door closed. In that moment, the young dwarfling made himself a promise. He promised himself that he would prove himself to be a respectable dwarf. He would work hard and become someone worthy of the guard.  
That promise lead him to join the quest to reclaim Erebor, where he met the guard again.


	2. Arranged Marriage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dori and Balin marry Ori to Dwalin to pay for his scribe training.

Training for a scribe wasn’t cheap, Ori was aware. After weeks of negotiations, Ori’s scribe master Balin, Dori and Ori had come to an agreement. Well, Balin and Dori had. Ori barely had a say in the matter, seeing he wasn’t of age yet. Dori had offered Ori’s hand in marriage to Balin, who had refused politely, saying that he was interested in someone else. Ori was way too young for him, besides.  
Thus Ori was to be married to Balin’s younger brother, Dwalin. Balin’s huge, muscular and terrifying brother.  
Now the young scribe was sitting on a table with Dwalin, drinking tea and trying to hide how badly his hands were shaking. They were supposed to make the marriage braids, but Ori wondered if he could do anything with his hands when near Dwalin.  
The warrior set his cup down. “Should we do the braids soon? As much as I… enjoy spending time with you, I have a job.”  
Ori almost dropped his cup. “O-of course!” He stood and walked around the table to Dwalin. From his pocket he dug a small box, inside of which his marriage bead lied. Dwalin closed his huge hands around Ori’s, and the scribe jolted, almost dropping the box.   
Dwalin looked to Ori. “I apologize. Did I scare you?”  
Ori shook his head. “I just… I wasn’t expecting…” Ori didn’t know how to end his sentence so he left it hanging.  
Dwalin looked at him for a long while before his eyes flicked on their still entwined hands. “Can I see it? The bead,” he asked.  
“Oh, um. Yes, o-of course,” Ori stammered as he opened the box and gave it to Dwalin. Dwalin looked at the amethyst bead, carved with the rune of the Ri family, along with runes of eternal love. Dwalin gave the box back to Ori and straightened his back.  
“Whenever you’re ready,” he said, closing his eyes. Ori nodded nervously and started braiding with shaky hands. So shaky, in fact, that he had to restart the braid so many times that Dwalin opened his eyes and took Ori’s hands again.  
“Should I make yours first?” he asked gently.  
Ori bit his lips and sighed. “I’m sorry.”  
Dwalin’s rough thumb rubbed Ori’s delicate knuckles. “Don’t apologize. You’re nervous, I understand.” He stood, towering over the small scribe. “Sit down.”   
Ori did, making the height difference between them even bigger. Dwalin knelt and opened the mithril box holding his marriage bead, showing it to Ori. “Malachite with small bits of ruby,” Dwalin murmured.  
“It’s beautiful,” Ori whispered. The deep green malachite’s distinctive veins glittered in the low light, accented by the red of the rubies that were imprinted on the runes. The rune of the Fundin family, along the same love rune that was on Ori’s bead.  
“I’m glad you think so,” Dwalin smiled, stroking Ori’s hair, separating a few strands for the braid.   
Ori was surprised how gentle the huge dwarf was. He barely felt the fingers in his hair and he would’ve thought that Dwalin hadn’t started braiding at all, if it wasn’t for the guard reaching for the bead. Ori blinked and turned to the other, only to have his breath taken away by the sheer gentleness in Dwalin’s eyes. The warrior was looking at him like he was the Arkenstone herself.   
Ori’s cheeks heated and his hands itched for a piece of coal and a paper. He wanted to draw that look on Dwalin’s face, just so he would never forget it.  
Dwalin’s fingers traced the new braid and he leant to press a kiss onto its root. “It looks good on you.”  
Ori’s blush deepened, but the scribe smiled. “Thank you.”  
Dwalin let his nose brush on Ori’s cheek as he drew back. “My turn?” Ori nodded and stood.   
“Please sit.” Dwalin sat, and Ori ran his fingers through Dwalin’s coarse hair. Dwalin let out a sigh and closed his eyes again.   
This time, Ori’s nimble fingers didn’t shake at all, as he swiftly made a braid in front of Dwalin’s damaged ear. When the scribe was done, he took a moment to look at the warrior. Odd, how peaceful he could look when he wasn’t scowling or yelling at the princes.  
Soon Dwalin noticed that the movement by his ear had stopped and he opened his eyes and turned to look at Ori.  
“Is there something stuck on my face?” he asked with a teasing smile.  
Ori smiled and shook his head. “I was just wondering if it would be too forward of me to kiss you.”  
A surprised look flashed on Dwalin’s face, but quickly was replaced with a gentle smile. “No, if you ask me,” he murmured.  
“Good,” Ori said as he leant closer, “Because I was going to.”


	3. Love Obstructing Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or, like I understood it, "cock-blocking brother", ahah.

Dwalin laid Ori on the bed, throwing his shirt on the floor. Ori’s greedy hands were immediately on his chest and stomach, feeling the bulky muscles. Dwalin grinned and laid on top of the smaller man, kissing him hard and deep. Ori wrapped his arms around Dwalin’s neck and bit his lip playfully. Dwalin growled and lifted Ori’s hips onto his thighs, groping Ori’s buttocks. The touch made Ori giggle and roll his hips. Dwalin’s hands moved to unbutton Ori’s trousers and…  
Ori’s ringtone filled the air, making the two of them freeze like a pair of deers in the headlight.  
“O-oh gosh, I’m so sorry,” Ori muttered as he dug his phone from his trouser pocket. “I-it’s Dori.” Dwalin groaned and rested his head on Ori’s chest. Ori accepted the call and pressed the phone to his ear. “H-hello.”  
“Hello, Ori, it’s me. Listen, I-” Dori paused. “Did I call at a bad time? You sound out of breath.”  
“N-no, of course not! I was just… erm… I just came back from a jog, th-that’s all.” Dwalin let out an irritated grumble, starting to poke his nose on Ori’s neck, soon nibbling and mouthing it.  
“I can call again later,” Dori said carefully as Ori did his best to suffocate any embarrassing sounds.  
“That… that would be good, a-actually,” Ori said quickly as Dwalin’s hands inched down on his stomach, towards the bulge in his pants, “I’ll call you back in an hour, bye!” He hung up and threw his phone away. Then he took Dwalin by surprise by pushing him onto his back and climbing on top of him. Dwalin always forgot how strong Ori could be when he wanted to.  
“I’ll remember that the next time Balin calls us when we’re about to do this,” the smaller man said.  
“O-okay,” Dwalin said numbly.


	4. Bodyguard

Ori stretched luxuriously, arching his back. Dwalin drank in the sight, with a languid smile.  
“You’re staring,” Ori chuckled, cuddling to Dwalin’s side.  
“Because you’re so gorgeous,” Dwalin murmured and accepted the kiss Ori pressed on his lips. The younger man settled on the older’s chest and gave a relaxed sigh. A comfortable silence fell upon them.  
After a moment, Ori tugged Dwalin’s beard gently. “You’re thinking so hard that I can hear the gears turning. What is it?”  
Dwalin gave an almost uncomfortable chuckle which was cut short. “Um… Ori… How serious… How serious are you about this? About us?”  
Ori shifted so he could look at Dwalin. “Why are you asking?”  
Dwalin stared at the ceiling and sighed, collecting his thoughts. “This… what we’re doing… I could get in trouble for this, if your brothers find out. I… I want to resign before that happens.” Dwalin turned to Ori. “I just want to know if you want to… you know, continue this even if I wasn’t working for you.”  
Ori stared at Dwalin with wide eyes. “You… you would do that for me?”  
“Well…” Dwalin gave a crooked smile, avoiding those huge, deep eyes. “I’ve become too invested, I would resign even if you weren’t serious.”  
Ori cupped Dwalin’s face, making the older man look at him. “I am serious. About this. About us.” He looked sad. “I don’t want you to resign, but I understand. If it means that we can be together like normal people.” He gave a small smile.  
“In that case,” Dwalin grinned, kissing Ori. “I’ll call Dori in a few hours and resign.”  
Ori’s smile was brighter than the sunniest day in the middle of summer and his delighted laugh bounced off the walls as Dwalin rolled on top of him and mouthed his neck.


	5. Partner in Danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ori has burn wounds and is high on painkillers.

“How is he?” Dori asked as soon as he arrived in the hospital waiting room.  
“They’re still operating,” Dwalin said, paler than normal. Dori strode over to Dwalin and pulled him into a hug. “What about you?”  
“Wh- me? I’m fine.”  
“Dori just needs someone to fuss over,” Nori said, clapping Dwalin’s shoulder and ignoring Dori’s sputtering denies.  
“It’s fine,” Dwalin said.  
They sat down, Dori wringing his hands, Nori bouncing his leg and Dwalin utterly still. They sat in silence for god knows how long, until Dwalin broke the silence.  
“I’m sorry.”  
Dori and Nori looked up. “For what?”  
Dwalin shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “If I had been more careful…”  
Dori interrupted him by taking his hand. “It wasn’t your fault. Accidents happen.” He gave a reassuring smile. “I don’t blame you.”  
Dwalin stared at him, then looked down at the floor. “Thank you.”  
After a bit more silence, a doctor walked down to corridor to them. “Mister Dori and Nori?”  
All three shot onto their feet. “How is he?” Dori asked in a quiet voice.  
“Your brother will be fine,” the doctor said, and Dori, Nori and Dwalin relaxed. “But he will have scars and he’ll probably be in pain for a few weeks, until the skin heals.”  
“Is he awake? Can we see him?” Dori asked.  
“He is, but a bit loopy. This way, please.” The doctor directed them to the room.  
Ori’s left shoulder and arm were in heavy bandages and the man himself was pale and his eyes glassed, but he was alive, and that’s all Dwalin cared about at the moment.  
“Dwalin…?” Ori asked. “Is Dwalin okay?”  
“I’m here,” Dwalin said, stepping towards the bed. “I’m fine.”  
Ori relaxed and cracked a smile even.  
Dori took Ori’s non-bandaged hand. “How do you feel?”  
“I’m… all right,” Ori giggled. “Get it? Because my left arm…”  
“We get it,” Nori interrupted.  
Ori continued giggling and the mood improved slightly.


End file.
